New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-03
AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS.
J. W. HARPER, JR.. ON THEIR RELATIONS
WRITER'S CAN DE DEFRAUDED ONLY BY COLLISION
nF1MEEN prRI, sHERS AND EMPLOYEES.


| WRITER'S CAN DE DEFRAUDED ONLY By COLLISION
| BETWEEN PUBL HERS AND EMPLOYEES.
great deal of interest has been taken in the ar
tices In THE TRIBUNE the subject OF the relations
of authors aid publishers and the views OF j.. 9.
stedman Charles Sorbner and C. l.. Webster pub
lished last Sunday have attracted the attention. not
only of great many persons having direct concern
in the matter but of those who are indirectly inter-
ested as readers of books, in the financial manage
ment whereby they put before the public. Two
men who are we'll fitted TO speak this subject arc
| Jo,eph W. Harper, IT., and Arson ID. +. Randolph
Mr. Harper said that, so tar as the firm OF Harper
BROTHERS was concerned, 1t had few accounts on the
! half-profts basis, anG he added:
| I" recall to mind, indeed, only one such account,
and that ia with the estate OF an author now dead
American publishers generally avoid this system, Tor
the reason in part presume, that it involves great
amount of detail. Tho royalty account has been
substituted in this country As tor this firm, we have
had great deal of experience with English publishers,
and we have never had tho least trouble with rega
| TO their statements of accounts. English publishers
publish some books for joint account, and we tor
| them; We have had occasion to complain" IL
was gested to Mr.. Harper that potent reason tor
this might 10 the tact tina. such O firm as Harper
| Brothers could not bs imposed upon by false
accounts whereas the author, a creature OF the
Imagination than expert accountant might not SEQ
through the devious ways aud means OF modern BOOK
keeping
"No" re ed he, 4" that is not the reason. The real
reason ia that at least all leading aud well-knoN
| publishers or business men transact business on
an honest basis In order to render false accounts,
there must be pretty large-sized conspiracy;
there must he collision at eass The publisher must
have n corrupt understanding with an entry clerk or
stock clerk or with mis- binder when he has his book
bound outside; and the binder in turn, must have
! like undcrsi ,ndng with employee. Now how long
could publisher doing that kind OF work retain
reputation "a an honest man Dishonesty always de
feats itself ultimately. and dishonest methods VIII
become known think the charges made in England
against British publishers on TINS score drc without
lust foundation.
| 70 90 a little into detail to show how impossible
it is for author to be deceive "a to the numbcr OF
his books Sold let first AJAX: How could publisher
cheat client except through his clerks, hs printers
or his warehouscmcn The author ought to have tho
ammo access to the edition books the publisher and
probably every publisher ia willing that he should
have In careful printing Offices the exact
edition ordered often Ovcrruns, 40 that an edition
OF 600 will sometimes make lO3D. In thcsr Offices
they generally 'Lathsr NJ the term H. al tho way
from twenty 10 thirty copies more than the thousand
ordered for the edition. Sometimes they fall short,
a. there be imperfect sheet or Tor 80 nc othor
reason. Now token - 20 Impressions Inc
printers feed eleven qWres, which, being OF twenty
iour sheet, each giyo 2ji sheets. On token thcn
Their, are fourteen copies over, and on n thousand
impressions the total number oycfrun /. htyslN with
ont allowing for wast,. The exact number over or
under however. always appears on the record OF de-
livery from the bnd"ry
Bat even II Publisher hal no scl'rcspect. u It
probable that he would leave biuseli opcu to his own
employee and be- known to them "a "A dishonest man
! see no way in which accounts could DO ialsihed
except through collision with large number OF people
When an authors statement il to be made ont, the
number of copies hand at the rendering OF the last
abatement l. out down. the number printed since and 'he
number now hand and the result rs thls ieacneJ
.Lcvip, thc number sold Saw that the number last
fAg sItar IL
on February !, 1887, an edition OF &ooO was
published; ills gives "A total OF LOU. Now
how do we find the number on hand We c0nht the
number in tie bins and IN tho "arerooms' suppose
there are 10 IN the bins and the same number IL the
oarcrooms total OF 90. Deduct this rom -''C0
aud We find that LOO copies have ocen disposed
of whether sold or gwen away or stolen.
Where then. can dishonesty como into play except
through extended collnson There Il not an author
who cannot come here and have access to tho books
iust ~ freely the publisher bim-e4i. OF
oontsc there rascas IN n tradc-' but thcy bear
their own reputation with them. There has been no
compliant 80 know, that American publ shers
have iaisihcd accounts.
The royalty paid to tho author owning his own
plates and copyright is obviously larger than when
Tho publisher assumes the whole risk. number OF
years AGO some authors would own the plates, and
we're paid Tor the whOlc edition when printed, cay
every 600 100, in advance. whether tho
publisher sold the whole edition or not The author got
ihe money. do not know that this il done much
row. think that Irving did tins and Prescott and
ths plan not unusual with other authors oi That
time II the books were popular, tho author would
make moro ~ paving for his own plates As rule
the author prefers 10 receive royalty and then mo
publisher a.rumc4 the whole risk aud expense Taking
INTO account tho manufacture, eiercotyping, dis
counts rents, salaric-. guaranty, etc, an average
ROYALTY az per cent il certainly fair one Royalties
vary course with the KIND OF book on school books
Tor instance. being less than general literature the
retail price being lower ID discount to bookselerses-
A. 10 international copyright, there arc two tils
before Congress, the Chacc bill and Tho lawlcy bill
The IIawiey bill 10 be on the whole nrinslcaIy
tbe better but the other bill looks practicable,
ff,.f.a fsrffa Of M
Iawlcy bill Ia the clearer and easier and he more d.
r, ct ard IL conforms To our copyright statute Tho
Cbacc bill concatcs the protection sentiment IN iafIr
o tho printer the papcr-naker and the binder. and
supro-e it would probably have the better chance
i'm congress. | think that publishers generally Will
favor AN Internal oual copyright law
One effect OF an international copyright would be to
make books dearer. You should read little work, the
history the house of Carey and Lea which shows how
thirty or forty year. 10 there the same nunda-
ton Of ceap prints the best standard books nd TO
Ice done in 'broadsdc edition. Then We gradually |
grew out OF that. But understand. do not know that
the publisher, tor putting up tile price OF books
through international copyright Is concerned, Will
participate III additional profits. lie Will probably |
sell fewer books | think that ono OF tho |
BENEFITS of the international law would be |
found in fulfilling the original intention ms announced
in tho constitution. OF the copyright Jaw |
10 furnish incentives and inducements 10 authors. |
,y an international law hold out inducements not
only here but abroad. and production would 10 |
stimulated through the Offering to authors OF greater
and assured rewards The author and the public
world gci the benefit of this. There would be more !
books and good buol'. these requiring careful
preparation and great labor. II AUTHORS had their
rights more fully assured, there wonld be more
incentive them to work, and with an international
copyright law. they would have two markets instead
of one Mr.. M0tcys books are dearer than 80 many
volumes OF Macluay International copyright
would mt standard we'll as other foreign authors
along With American authors
MIR. RANDOLPH DEFENDS THE PUBLISHERS
THEIR PROFITS NOr UNREAsONABLE-THE COST OF
SELLING BOOKS MUST III CONSIDERED.
Arson -. +. Randolph who has the reputation OF
:. ,.J in Ia rul isl in